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Shopping with Aunt Kennedy was easily one of the best things I had done in a long time.
She had excellent taste, and everything she picked out was going to look amazing on her. While she continued browsing, I looked through dresses. I found a yellow summer dress and held it up to me, turning toward the mirror on the wall and admiring my reflection.
“You’d look gorgeous in that,” my aunt said, coming up behind me and speaking over my shoulder.
“It would be all the dress.”
“Nonsense. Here.” She took it from my hand and added it to the armful of clothes. “Excuse me,” she called to one the sales associates. “Could you please hold these for me up at the front? And if you could start ringing me up, that would be perfect.”
“Of course, ma’am.” They smiled, and the associate made a joke about needing an army to carry out her bags.
“Aunt Kennedy,” I warned. “You don’t have to buy that for me. I want to be able to pay for things.”
She shook her head, pride beaming in her eyes.
“I know I don’t have to, but it makes me happy. Please, let me be happy, Eden.”
She gave me the best puppy dog face, and I couldn’t help but laugh. I didn’t need Aunt Kennedy buying me things, she had no idea how happy I was just to be there with her.
“I promise to let you pay me back later,” she vowed, but I knew she was full of it.
I groaned, and she grinned, knowing full well she had won.
“Fine!” I threw my hands in the air.
She pulled me in for a hug. “The Vaughns and their ridiculous pride.”
I laughed. “You would know.”
The Vaughns.
She said it like there were a lot of us, but there weren’t.
Me.
Mom.
Aunt Kennedy.
We were all that were left.
And the more time I spent with Aunt Kennedy, the more I realized I was a lot like her.
I had spent the past two years worrying that I would become like my mother. I loved her, but I never wanted to be dependent on any man.
Seeing Aunt Kennedy in her element proved it was possible for me.
By the time we left the final store, I could tell she was exhausted. She worked a ton, and when she wasn’t at Empire taking care of things there, she was home still being busy and taking care of things.
I wasn’t ready to go home yet. I hadn’t been in Vegas long, but I still felt like there was plenty to see, which was why I was thrilled when we ran into Luke just outside the last shop we visited.
“Hey, Luke!” I called out, stopping him before he could cross the street.
He turned, his face lighting up with a smile, before he started toward us.
“Hey, Eden,” he said, before turning toward Kennedy. His posture stiffened, and he nodded. “Ms. Vaughn.”
She laughed and shook her head.
